Counterpoint
by Khiori
Summary: An unknown enemy begins to hunt the House of Sarek, and Saavik is the first taken. (Some OC by Kerjen)


Ko-Kan lifted her head from the tiles and growled low in her throat. It got Saavik's attention instantly. Something shivered in the back of her mind and her eyes narrowed.

"Setik," she said quietly, "come to me now."

The small boy immediately left his manipulation puzzle and obediently came to her side. Saavik felt again the relief that her son had inherited more of his father's nature than her's and lifted the child into her arms.

The sehlat's growl deepened and the massive body lifted, bristling as the long fangs glinted in the home's soft light. Setik's Amanda-blue eyes widened as Ko-Kan's wicked looking claws slowly extended.

Saavik moved quickly to the central terminal and rapidly keyed the estate's security system. And felt a sudden chill. It was off line.

She tabbed the comm line quickly.

It was off line as well.

Ko'Kan's muscles were coiling into attack stance.

Saavik had less than a second to consider if they should stay in the home or flee. Instinct from childhood flared through her mind and she shifted Setik's small weight. "Ko'Kan," Saavik said hoarsely, "come."

They ran.

Only the oldest traditional Vulcan homes retained the pre-Surak defensive measures. Those post-dating Surak kept only the outer garden wall, a sehlat, and a standard computer security system. Designed for a time of relative peace, they inherently lacked the ability to be successfully defended from intruders.

Saavik took the curving stairs down into the cool belly of the estate as fast as she dared, lips thinning.

Fortunately, however, Ambassador Sarek's estate was quite traditional.

Saavik's sharp ears heard noises upstairs and she moved faster.

The shadows of an apparent corner gave way with a precise tap and Saavik slipped inside, Ko'Kan's claws on her heels. The hidden doorway closed immediately and she heard the quietest of clicks as the locks engaged.

She put Setik down and keyed the interior light.

She pulled a phase rifle off the wall and coded the power unit on.

Of course, Sarek had agreed with her on a few. . .amendments to tradition.

This place would not show up on any scans. Nor would the long tunnel attached to it. Saavik snatched the preset communicator and pressed the call button once. She clipped it to Setik's tunic. As soon as they left the autoscreens of the estate, the nearest transporter would lock onto the signal and take him to Shi'Kar's security center. She activated a second and attached it to Ko'Kan's heavy identification collar.

In spite of everything, her lips twitched in dry humor. She could well imagine the alarm the sudden appearance of a small child and his guardian sehlat was going to cause.

Especially when they read Ko'Kan's inscribed house holding.

"Setik, you retain remembrance of your father's office comm code?"

The little boy nodded solemnly.

"I will come as soon as I can. I must prevent interception of your transporter signal."

The child looked suddenly uncertain.

Saavik gathered him back up in her arms and tabbed the internal light off. "Do not be alarmed," she whispered into his small delicate ear, "Ko'Kan will keep you safe." She felt his little boy fingers wrap themselves into her hair in response.

Then she was moving quickly, one hand guiding her down the dark sloping tunnel. The clicking of Ko'Kan's claws behind her brought a curious comfort and she quickened her pace.

She came to the outer seal of the tunnel, her mind automatically placing them now as well outside the estate's walls. She felt along the right side of the tunnel until she found the inset terminal. She keyed it up by touch alone and a soft green light bathed their faces. Saavik set Setik down again. She began the rotating protective 'shields' their transporter signals would need.

Ko'Kan whirled and stared into the darkness behind them, fangs baring. At the far end of the tunnel, there came the echoing clicks of the first door being opened.

Saavik's eyes went wide. _How-?_ She tapped Ko'Kan on the top of the shoulder for silence and worked faster, fingers almost blurring as she created the commands she needed _._

Ko'Kan's hair stood up in terrible spikes all over her body. Setik pressed against her leg.

In less than thirty seconds, they would be found.

The terminal flashed acceptance and Saavik whirled, stabbing the door seal off and kicking it wide. "Run, Setik!" she hissed. "Ko'Kan, go!" She twisted, swinging her phase rifle up even as her left hand hovered over the final code, and fired up the tunnel.

Setik ran out into the blinding Vulcan light, Ko'Kan lunging after and ahead of him protectively and Saavik hit the final code as a blast of energy slammed into her chest and threw her bodily back into the searing heat outside.

She cried out reflexly and felt a rush of sheer horror as her cry made Setik instinctively stop and turn back to his mother, his child eyes wide with a terror his young grasp on the disciplines could not override.

Saavik fought the closing darkness, raging against a body that would not respond.

A second bolt shot over her, aiming for her small son.

 _No!_

Ko'Kan roared and leapt.

And the two of them dissolved into golden swirls.

Saavik took a sigh of relief into the dark.

"Ambassador?"

Spock looked up from his terminal, displeased with being disturbed from his work. But the paleness of his young aide's face instantly made his heart chill. He instinctively reached for the bond link.

T'Lar had warned that their bond would require a greater effort to "hear" than most, a benefit at times with Saavik's often turbulent emotions and his own human tendencies. Especially when the need for complete concentration was great, as this treaty negotiations was requiring.

He could still "hear" the echo of their bond. But. . .he could not "hear" _her_ at all. Spock felt the beginnings of true fear. His eyes focused sharply on his aide's pale face.

"What has happened to my wife?"

Then a second fear seized his chest. Saavik had been home with Setik today.

"Where is my son?"

The Security Center was as close to chaos as Spock had ever seen a Vulcan facility.

Even with his growing fear, he had to forcibly repress a dark humored twitch of the lips.

Faithful Ko'Kan had wedged Setik into the safety of a corner and now stood roaring in full fanged battle fury, claws slashing the air viciously, eyes wild and hair bristled into a horrific ridges all over her muscled body so far out that she looked more like an enraged lematya protecting her cub than a household sehlat.

And she had the entire Security force ringed well out of claw reach, arguing over how best to sedate her from a distance without possibly striking the young child behind her.

The bloody forms of two of their number now being tended to by healers showed that their first attempt had been less than successful.

He stepped forward. "Kroykah, Ko'Kan!"

The Security officers started at the unexpected shout and then bodies eased all over the room as Ko'Kan gave a loud snort and obediently lay down to lick her blood dyed claws.

Setik's wide blue eyes caught him and Spock's eyebrow shot up as his small son ran around his guardian and threw himself into his father's arms and buried his face against Spock's shoulder. "Mother," he whispered.

Spock held his little son gently, sending a soothing mental caress to ease his child's mind. His own gaze locked onto the nearest officer and grew piercing. "I require assistance immediately."

The officer saluted. "Yes, Ambassador!"

Spock rocked slowly back and forth in his mother's antique chair, Setik cradled and finally asleep. The little boy's fingers were still clenched tightly in his robes and there was an uneasy frown on the small face. He sighed wearily.

Across from him, Sarek steepled his fingers. "To override the estate's computer security system required superior code manipulations. Vulcan High Command itself created the system when I first accepted the position of ambassador and they have maintained the system since. Discounting the possibility that the overrides were programmed from this estate's main computer itself, infiltration access is likely to have been through their own database system."

"An unpleasant possibility." Spock said softly. "It suggests serious security compromise at the highest levels of Vulcan government."

Sarek nodded once. "That concern is currently occupying a large portion of the Security Force's efforts." His eyes took in his sleeping grandson. "However, I am more. . .alarmed over the exposure of the escape route. There are no records of its existence. The technology used to hide its presence is unique, a true counter is doubtful at this time."

Spock's lips thinned. "Then the breach was not in discovery but in exposure."

"Precisely," Sarek's gaze met his. "Someone revealed its presence."

"The technology was created while you were still Vulcan's ambassador. Who assisted in its development beyond Saavik and myself?"

"Beyond myself, two others directly. Your Mister Scott and Nyota Uhura."

Spock's eyebrow lifted. "Indeed?"

Sarek nodded. "However, as Mister Scott is currently listed as missing and Uhura is unavailable on a Starfleet matter, further inquiry is not possible."

Spock's forehead wrinkled. "Indirectly?"

"Rrelthiz. Saavik brought her in for work in the camouflage program. The healer has a little known yet remarkable talent for creative mathematics."

Spock was impressed.

Then Sarek cleared his throat. "And, ah, two others."

Spock's eyes narrowed.

"We desired technology currently not in possession of the Federation. Such a goal required certain. . .assistance."

Spock stopped rocking. "You did not."

Sarek cleared his throat again. "We did."

Spock sighed. "As much as I do not. . .approve of him, I do not. . .believe that he would have risked harming either Saavik or my son."

"You must remember, as the echo of your bond presents, the attack was not intended to be fatal."

Spock swallowed and held Setik tighter. Deliberately, he began rocking again. "Who. . .is the other?"

Sarek took a deep breath. "I do not know."

Spock stopped. "What?"

Sarek sighed. "Saavik presented the programming. She did not tell me the source."

Spock slowly paled. "Damn." He stopped rocking.

Sarek's eyebrow shot up. "I beg your pardon?"

Spock rose and very carefully laid Setik in the arms of his grandfather. "Excuse me, Father, I need to send an inquiry." He turned and called for Ko'Kan. The sehlat immediately left her guard position at the door and sat attentively before Spock awaiting instruction. Spock gently scratched the massive head. "Protect, brave one."

Ko'Kan gave a low snortle and went over and sat near Sarek and the sleeping Setik.

Spock turned and disappeared down the hall.

Sarek sighed and settled his grandson closer to his chest. He stroked the child's soft hair very gently. And wondered if he should hope Spock was successful or not.


End file.
